One such indicating member includes a light-transmittable section or transparent section including a base portion and a marked portion projecting from an upper surface of the base portion so as to form indicia and a non-light-transmittable section or opaque section formed over an upper surface of the base portion except for the marked portion. The light-transmittable and non-light-transmittable sections are formed by injection molding a light transmittable synthetic resin and a non-light-transmittable synthetic resin, or a transparent synthetic resin and opaque synthetic resin, respectively. When the marked portion includes an annular portion surrounding a portion of the upper surface of the base portion as in letters "A", "B" or "O", the non-light-transmittable section is molded as follows: first a light-transmittable section is molded which includes small diameter through-holes provided at the outer side and the inner side of the mark portion surrounding a portion of the upper surface thereof; and, then a non-light-transmittable section is molded by preparing a mold means provided over the molded light-transmittable section to define a first space for molding the non-light-transmittable section and a tunnel-like path provided under the lower surface of the base portion for connecting the small diameter holds formed in the base portion, and by injecting non-light-transmittable synthetic resin into a portion of the first space outside of the surrounding or annular marked portion and then introducing the resin into the other portion of the first space surrounded by the marked portion through the small diameter holes in the base portion of the light-transmittable section and the tunnel-like path. When a molded indicating member that includes the molded light-transmittable section and non-light-transmittable section is removed from the mold, a portion of the non-light-transmittable resin connecting the portions of the non-light-transmittable resin molded in the small diameter holes in the light transmittable section remains.
A mold for providing a tunnel-like path as noted above is complicated and expensive. Further, a non-light-transmittable connecting portion stated above results in a shadow appearing on the marked portion when the indicating member is illuminated by a light provided behind the member and lessens an amount of light transmitted from the back side of the marked portion to the front side of the same. Furthermore, it is troublesome and costly to remove the connecting portion after removing the indicating member from the mold means.
An indicating member of the type as noted above is generally formed by using, for instance, a light-transmittable polycarbonate resin, ABS resin or methacrylic resin as a light-transmittable resin and, for instance, a non-light-transmittable polycarbonate and ABS resin as a non-light-transmittable synthetic resin. Those light-transmittable and non-light-transmittable synthetic resins are weldable with respect to each other. Accordingly, when those resins are molded, the contacting surfaces thereof are fused to each other and an interface therebetween substantially disappears. Accordingly, when a light provided behind the indicating member is turned on and the light beams are transmitted through the marked portion from the back side to the front side thereof, beams which obliquely advance are prone to enter the portion of the non-light transmittable section around the marked portion to thereby be absorbed, whereby a level of light beam reaching the front surface of the marked portion is lowered so that the brightness of the marked portion is lessened.